https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-51458008
Syria war: Government will pay 'heavy price' for attacking Turkish troops
Turkey's president has warned the Syrian government that it will "pay a very, very heavy price" for attacks on Turkish soldiers in north-west Syria.
Five troops were killed in opposition-held Idlib province on Monday, as the Syrian army continued an offensive. Turkish forces struck dozens of targets in response, but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "It will continue."......
Turkey, a backer of the opposition, has sent troops to Idlib under agreements with the Syrian government's allies Russia and Iran - the 2017 Astana and 2018 Sochi accords - that sought to de-escalate hostilities. So far this month, Syrian army artillery fire has killed 12 Turkish military personnel and one civilian contractor.
The Turkish defence ministry said Turkish forces responded to Monday's attack by hitting 115 Syrian government targets and "neutralising" 101 soldiers. However, the Syrian army did not report any casualties.
In a speech in Ankara on Tuesday, President Erdogan said: "We gave the necessary responses to the Syrian side at the highest level. Especially in Idlib, they got what they deserved. But this is not enough. It will continue. The more they attack our soldiers, the heavier price they will pay. We will share these steps with the public tomorrow," he added.
Turkey's state news agency said a fresh convoy of military vehicles and commandos had been sent to Idlib to reinforce Turkish positions there, adding to the hundreds of tanks and thousands of soldiers reportedly deployed last week.The Syrian army later said Turkey was "escalating acts of aggression by targeting populated areas to help terrorists" and that it would respond to attacks.
Meanwhile, Russia called for the de-escalation agreements to be implemented and warned it considered unacceptable "any terrorist activity directed against the Syrian armed forces and Russian military facilities".......